Dress pattern



M. W. LE COQ Sept. 17, 1940.

DRESS PATTERN Filed Dec. 12, 1939 a m a 2 M .4 h F N I Marl/2a W L650 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 17, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DRESS PATTERN Martha W. Le Coq, New York, N. Y.

Application December 12., 1939, Serial N 0. 308,875

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in dress patterns; and particularly to dress patterns comprising a number of suitable outlines on a sheet of paper showing both the shape of the pieces required for a dress and the arrangement or layout of the various pieces on the cloth from which they are to be cut.

An object of the invention is to provide a dress pattern having various parts of the dress marked thereon in full size, and disposed according to a plan which assures economy of space at the outset; and full accuracy in cutting, with the maximum saving of material and time, in practice. The figures or outlines on the pattern can of course be altered to give many kinds of dresses, but the general nature of the pattern and the principle of the invention are the same for every embodiment or model.

On the drawing, which illustrates one form of the invention:

Figure 1 is a view of the pattern as printed, and

Figure 2 shows the mode of use when a dress is about to be made. Y

The same numerals identify the same parts throughout.

In the example shown, the dress pattern is portrayed as printed on a single large sheet of paper divided into halves by a line down the middle. Each half measures, say, three or more times as much in length as in width, and bears the form or outline of several parts of the dress; the one half supplementing the other for a complete garment. This way of proceeding makes the pattern easier to fold, sell or handle, and use when the cloth for the dress is cut as will appear later.

The left half, for instance, bears the outline l of the blouse front, 2 of half the blouse back, and 3 of the sleeves. On the other half are the pattern sections 4 to give the side front pieces for the skirt, 40. for the skirt front or center piece, and 4b for the skirt back. The outline of the skirt belt is shown on the left half at 40. The other outlines on the left half are 5 for the front blouse belt; 6 the back blouse belt; 8 the lower side front blouse facings; 9 the upper back facing for the blouse; 9' the lower back blouse facing; H] the shoulder pads; and 3a the sleeve cuffs or facings. On the other half, the remaining outlines are 1 for the blouse front facings; III the shoulder pad; l2 the skirt suspender front; 12 the skirt suspender back; l3 placket facing; and M the skirt facing.

As the outlines 1, etc., are as large as the actual sizes of the parts of the dress tobe made, each half of the pattern as described above will be only a 'few inches less than two yards in length. Although it does not contain all the outlines for a complete dress, a pattern sheet of the length mentioned is as long as an ordinary table, on the top of which the cloth to'be cut is spread. Such a table is certain tobe wide enough, because the total breadth of the pattern including both halves will usually be three feet. Standard cloth, measured and cut from a bolt or roll has this width, and when the cloth is properly laid out, each half of the pattern is used in turn. When the first half is used, half of the length of cloth is taken and the other half can be rolled or folded and put. down on one end of the table till needed.

This kind of layout of the figures of the pattern isdecidedly advantageous and convenient in practice because the entire sheet can so easily be handled to accomplish the cutting. First one side or half of the sheet is laid on the cloth, and then the remainder of the cloth is distended on the table, and the other side or half of the sheet is taken. One can begin for example with the part of the sheet at the left and cut out all the figures except the portions 4, 4a. and I0. The narrow section bearing these can be cut off and matched with the adjacent end of the other side to complete the figures 4, 4a and II], when the other side of the sheet is employed. Of course, the line sides or halves can be placed end to end, if the owner so desires.

To utilize the pattern in this way, the sheet is divided along the line separating the halves. This line is preferably marked by a series of slots or other perforations I6. The top of the left half and the top of the right half are then placed in juxtaposition. Part of the outlines 4, 4a and ID are on the left half, and these are matched with the portions of the same sections or outlines on the right half, to complete them. This will usually require laying the cloth or pattern on the floor, because an ordinary table will not be long enough, and one must during cutting avoid letting the cloth and pattern move or slip, as it would do if part were on a table and part were allowed to hang over the edge.

With the various outlines grouped as shown, the arrangement is very compact, and all the parts are as close together as possible; but in suificient number to include everything a given kind of dress requires.

When utilized, the pattern yields the parts of the dress with perfect accuracy. One pins the paper to the cloth and cuts out the outlines or sections in turn, and the whole operation is quickly performed, with a minimum of waste pieces or scrap. The time is greatly reduced by doubling the cloth, and this is an important advantage, because every time an outline is cut, duplicate layers are the result.

The entire sheet on which the pattern sections are placed is about equal in width to ordinary cloth. Standard cloth usually means cloth that is 36 or perhaps 39 inches in breadth. Hence, if a length of such cloth indicated at H is doubled by folding along the middle as indicated at [8, each half of the pattern will be of the same breadth and can be laid thereon so that the total number of pieces can be cut out in only a fraction of the time otherwise necessary. The two halves are so laid that their edges l9 extend along the superposed edges of the cloth (selvage) while the other edges 2!) lie along the fold line of the cloth. If desired, the position of the fold line of the cloth can be indicated on the pattern by dots 2i. Along this line will lie one edge of the outlines 2, 4a and db, 9 and d. When the cloth is out along the edges of these outlines, the completeback of the skirt, twice as wide as the outline ib, the complete center of the skirt in front, twice as wide as the part la, the entire back of the blouse, twice as wide as the outline 2, and the complete parts 9 and ii, each twice as long as the outline, will be produced. That is, one half of the skirt back db will be on each side of the fold line, and so will the halves of the blouse back, skirt front center and parts 9 and 9'. Of the remaining parts there will be two of each, one on each half of the folded cloth. Each piece cut out along the outline 3 will make one of the sleeves; and each of the parts made from the outline i will form one side of the blouse front. Such parts as the skirt belts 5 and will number two each and will give two thicknesses or layers for such pieces when in position. Similarly there will be double shoulder pads, double front facings l, double sleeve facings or cuffs 3a, and double Suspender parts 52 and i2, and double parts from outlines ie, 8, l3 and M. But the cutting out, because at least two parts or both halves of one part are done each time one outline is taken, is very much shortened; and virtually all possibility of mistake or error is eliminated. Of course the edges of figures 2, 4a, db, 9 and 9 along the fold line are not cut.

To facilitate sewing the parts of the cloth together, slits or recesses 22 are placed in the edges at each corner. For instance, in the part t each pair of recesses 22, one near each of the opposite ends of each edge, at both sides of the corner, indicate the distance of the sewing line from that edge, and in joining the parts the threads are stitched along this line. Similar recesses are in all other parts, but are omitted from the drawings for the sake of clearness. The round ends of the sleeves have dart shaped markings W to show where the cloth is tucked in when stitched to the blouse. The slits 22 may be so located that the sewing lines will be farther from some of the edges than others in places where the cloth may have to be let out when sewed; such as for the bust, hips and arms; and when the pieces are cut out from the cloth, the sewing lines on the pieces may be indicated by making a cut with the scissors wherever the notches on the pattern appear.

I also mark the difierent portions of the pattern to reveal the order in which they are assembled. In the shoulder edges of each part I are notches A and B, and similar notches A and B are made in the shoulder edges of the blouse back 2. These notches mean that the parts I and 2 are to be attended to first by matching the notches A and B and sewing the edges having these notches together. Next the side edges of the parts i and 2 having notches C are stitched, with these notches coinciding. In the sleeve segments 3, which are next, notches E and Fin the edges indicate that these edges are to be united with the notches E--E coinciding and FF coinciding. Then the sleeves are sewed to the arm holes of the blouse by placing the notches G and H at the round end of the sleeve adjacent the notches G and H of the blouse. The same procedure is followed, other parts bearing notches being taken in alphabetic order and united to edges having notches with the same letters respectively. All of the letters are not on the drawings, but the method will be understood from those mentioned. The skirt is last, the notches S and T showing how and where the center is sewed to the sides, and notches U and V where the sides are stitched to the back. Thus the junction of the pieces is greatly expedited, and here will point both ways, and not all one way. Some time ago, a great many of the fabrics sold for dressmaking were printed or woven with a one- Way design. That is, there was a north and south, or top and bottom, to the fabrics. All the figures in them pointed north. Cutting out a garment from one of these fabrics was always difficult, because in addition to plotting the pattern on the cloth, it was necessary that every pattern piece be placed on the fabric with the north end of the pattern piece pointing toward the north end of the fabric. This was done so that in the finished garment all the flowers or other figures in the material would be pointing up. Otherwise, the figures in one part of the dress would be pointing up, and those in another part pointing down, and the appearance of the finished dress would be entirely spoiled.

At the present, one-way fabric is practically obsolete, but until this invention, two-way fabric presented the problem of arranging pattern pieces on the fabric for economy and straight cutting. The pattern disclosed herein eliminates all effort in the laying out of the patterns, insures accuracy of cutting on two way material, and

gives maximum economy in the use of two-waycloth. I know no previous pattern capable of successful use on two-way fabrics, which are mostly sold today.

In fitting a number of pattern segments or pieces into a given space, that is, upon a given length of material, it is obvious that if the pieces must all be pointed north, considerably more space will be needed; or considerably fewer pieces will go into the given space, if the pattern pieces must all be kept pointing in one direction. In my pattern, however, the pieces may be pointed towards either the top or bottom of the cloth; thus more interlocking and closer setting of the pieces can be done to save material. In fact my pattern consumes from 30% to 50% less fabric than formerly, and only a few minutes for all the cutting are needed. How the saving of cloth is obtained is revealed by a glance at the outlines l and 2; and 4, 4a and 4b. The figures I and 2 are in reversed relation, the latter being inverted; and the large projection of one outline for a waist pieces enters the large indentation of the other. These relative positions enable me to put these two outlines very close together, so that they interfi soto speak, and very little cloth is between their adjacent edges. Hence there is a minimum of scrap or waste when these parts of the dress are severed from the cloth. If the figure 2 were not inverted, there would be considerable waste because of the amount of leftover cloth between figures la and 2. The same saving is given by the relative positions of the outlines 4, 4a and 4b; and by the close grouping of the other outlines with respect to one another and the larger figures already named.

My pattern is of such width that, as above stated, it fits perfectly on fabric from a standard bolt of cloth, folded longitudinally down the center.

While the pattern may be used, as above stated, by laying each half in turn, without separating them along the line of perforations IE, on the folded cloth; it can also be divided along this line and each half handled separately. In either case, the edges 20 are laid along the fold line of the cloth, and the perforations H6 (or if the pattern is divided the other edges l9) extend along the superposed edges (selvage) of the cloth. The line of division marked by the perforations l6 thus has additional utility, because it enables the dressmaker to lay the pattern correctly along the edge of the cloth, even if the sheet has been turned a little in the press when printed so that the side margins of the pattern are not of constant width. In that event the dressmaker could easily cut the cloth in the wrong way as regards the warp threads, if the edges determine the position of the pattern with reference to the cloth. Such a risk is avoided, and correct cutting is ensured by laying the pattern so that the line of perforations I6 (of the edges I9, if the halves of the pattern are separated) is exactly parallel to the superposed edges (selvage) of the folded cloth l1. Further, the middle line of perforations 16 down the sheet serves nicely as a reference line or base when the pattern figures are laid out. For different styles many changes of position of the outlines and their parts can be involved, but by measuring everything from this middle line, the designer can always get the relative position, slope or angle needed for each line and figure. For example, if striped goods are to be used and the stripes are to run different in different parts of the dress, the outlines of the pattern are simply arranged at the different angles required, with respect to the line 16. In this way and many others this line is utilized, as well as to help the dressmaker when the pattern is actually used.

Also, the pattern segments cut from two-way folded cloth impart to the dress a balanced disposition of motifs or figures in the fabric. In standard products, the so-called motifs of fi ured cloth are evenly and oppositely arranged on either side of the longitudinal axis. Hence there is symmetry; and pieces cut out with my pattern are certain to have the right appearance and looks.

Further the pattern has double utility. I may arrange the pattern pieces on the paper sections so that a dress may be cut out of all one material or of two different materials. In this way, the sections of a certain pattern may be separated, and the blouse out from blue and the skirt from red. Also, as already explained, the user may place the pattern sections in line on one strip of fabric, and thus cut out a dress all in one color.

From the foregoing, it will be clear that my skirt pattern and method of turning out a dress therefrom is adapted to realize all the advantages mentioned herein; the pattern allowing quick cutting of material, giving accuracy and obviating waste, and permitting speed and ease in uniting all the parts to make the finished garment. With this kind of pattern, one can cut out all the parts for a dress in a few minutes, instead of several hours, as with prior patterns. While I have shown but one way of putting the inventive idea into practice, I may of course change the number and form of the segments, and otherwise exercise latitude in details to the full extent consistent with the scope and breadth of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I believe to be new and desire to secure and protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A dress pattern comprising a sheet bearing on its face outlines of pieces to be cut from cloth and sewed together to make a dress or garment, at least one of said outlines having notches adjacent the ends of one or more of its edges to mark the position of the line along which said edge is to be stitched to join said piece to another.

2. A dress pattern comprising a sheet having on its surface compactly grouped separate figures showing the outlines of pieces required for the skirt, waist and other parts to make a complete garment to be cut from cloth according to said outlines, some of said figures being disposed so that a projection on one extends into an indentation of another to bring them into close proximity, some of said figures being on one side of a line running longitudinally through the middle of the sheet and dividing it substantially into two halves, each half being substantially equal in breadth to half the width of standard cloth, said figures being disposed on the two halves in the correct positions required by the characteristics of the cloth by reference to said line, at least one of said outlines having notches adjacent each end of two or more of its edges to enable cuts to be made in the corresponding piece of cloth and mark along the edge thereof the position of a line for stitching.

MARTHA W. LE COQ. 

